Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Right heart size and function in dogs with lung high blood pressure
By Vezzosi, Tommaso et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2018·Department of Veterinary Sciences, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Echocardiographic evaluation of the right ventricular dimension and systolic function in dogs with pulmonary hypertension.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at 89 dogs with pulmonary hypertension (PH), a condition that can lead to heart problems, and found that those with more severe PH had larger right ventricles. Dogs with right-sided congestive heart failure (R-CHF) also showed significantly larger heart dimensions compared to those without. The severity of tricuspid regurgitation (a type of heart valve issue) was the main factor affecting the size of the right ventricle. While the study provided insights into heart size and function, it did not find significant differences in heart function measurements among the dogs. Understanding these heart changes can help veterinarians manage dogs with PH better.
People also search for: dog pulmonary hypertension symptoms · dog heart problems treatment · signs of congestive heart failure in dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Right ventricular (RV) enlargement and dysfunction are associated with prognosis in humans with pulmonary hypertension (PH). HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To assess RV size and systolic function in dogs with PH and to determine if they are associated with disease severity and right-sided congestive heart failure (R-CHF). ANIMALS: 89 dogs with PH and 74 healthy dogs. METHODS: Prospective observational study. PH was classified according to the tricuspid regurgitation pressure gradient. RV end-diastolic area (RVEDA) index was calculated as RVEDA divided by body surface area. RV systolic function was assessed with the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and the RV fractional area change (FAC) normalized for body weight (TAPSEn and FACn, respectively). RESULTS: RVEDA index was higher in dogs with moderate PH (10.8 cm/m; range, 6.2-14.4 cm/m) and severe PH (12.4 cm/m; range, 7.7-21.4 cm/m) than in those with mild PH (8.4 cm/m; range, 4.8-11.6 cm/m) and control dogs (8.5 cm/m; range, 2.8-11.6 cm/m; P < .001). RVEDA index was significantly higher in dogs with R-CHF (13.7 cm/m; range, 11.0-21.4 cm/m) than in dogs without R-CHF (9.4 cm/m; range, 4.8-17.1 cm/m; P < .001). The severity of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) was the only independent predictor of the RVEDA index (P < .001). TAPSEn and FACn were not significantly different among varying degrees of PH severity and between dogs with and without R-CHF. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The RVEDA index can be used to evaluate RV size in dogs. It can provide additional information in dogs with PH and predict R-CHF. Severity of TR is the main determinant of RV enlargement in dogs with PH.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30216561/